A Knight's Resolve
by Moonlight M3lody
Summary: Asked to help a certain young woman in his night patrol, he finds more than he bargained for. He is sworn to valor, a knight helping anyone in need. She certainly needs someone to watch over her. Light Miklotov x Anita, requested by Satsukiyurami.


A/N: Requested by Satsukiyurami. In this fic Anita is recruited much later in the game. Parallel to 'Of Sword, Wine, and Late Night Talk'.

Former Blue Knight Miklotov was someone who always took his job seriously, whether it was to defend the castle or to charge to the front line. However, sobering a drunken woman was certainly not mentioned in his job description. Neither did entertaining said woman so she didn't do any harm to anyone (or herself, in this matter).

He didn't know since when he signed up for the job. It all began when Lord Riou entrusted him with night patrol, an important job he was so honored to do. The castle's occupants were generally supportive, and they let him know whatever happened in the castle. That dragged him into this mess.

"So she asked everyone for a duel?" he quirked his eyebrows at his subordinate's report. "This woman...Anita isn't it? The new recruit Lord Riou brought from Banner?" Double nods. "You're dismissed, then. Go to eastern post. I'd take care of this myself."

Camus would laugh. That friend of his had always said that one day he'd get something out of his stubbornness, his perfectionist nature.

The civilians backed to the wall, terrified to see the woman, especially her dangling sword. She made herself a name as a student of Roundier Haia, and no one wanted to be at the end of her blade. "A bunch of weaklings...lemme duel you before I defeat that woman..." Words slurred from her mouth, half dazed and half angered. "Please, calm down miss." She turned to the new source of voice.

Still in strange gleam of eyes, she smiled. "Aah, aren't you a pretty boy? You're not afraid of me, aren't you?"

She stood, hand by the hilt of her Seven Star Sword, ready to strike before suddenly she tripped in the thin air, knocking her down the floor. Leona ushered the rest of the customers out her bar to give him more space.

It took him nearly two hours before she stopped murmuring incoherent things and by the time she asked for water, a normal side effect of alcohol, it was well past the midnight. He fetched a glass, only to find her fast asleep on the table.

"It's always like this." Leona shook her head. Miklotov dragged a seat, asking curiously,"You know her?" which was met with the older woman's nod. He helped her gathering the broken bottles, examining a dent on the floor where her sword was smashed against. "She was my regular customer back in Muse too. Often seen frustrated of something, drinking too much till she could barely stand. She's mostly calm enough when drunken, but every now and then stuff like this happens."

What in the world irritated that woman to no end? It was like her entire life was a mess if Leona's words were to be believed. She never lied anyway.

"Frustrated by what?"

She shrugged. "I'd have helped her myself if I know. Honestly, it's dangerous for her. Whenever she's drunk, she'd follow anyone home. I've seen her attacked by angry wives or girlfriends, but she always forgot the following morning."

He took a closer look to the blonde, face unbelievably peaceful at that point. "Does anybody know?" Leona quizzically stared, and he cleared his throat, adding,"About the reason of her frustration? Whatever it is, she's very stressed about it." She was about to shook her head before something loomed on her mind. She twirled her finger around a pitcher, trying to remember. "Try to ask Valeria. They seem to know about each other."

Feeling the problem was resolved, he left the bar to wake Camus up to take care of day patrol. It was, at least until some weeks after; he was called again for the same job. He nearly killed himself this time by saying Valeria's name out loud in his attempt to bring her back to awareness. "That woman! Why can't I defeat her?!" she pounded the glass she was holding, its content spilt all over the table.

Perhaps that was the only cue, but he got the gist of the problem now. She interrupted his train of thought by muttering,"You'd be better if you do something to your hairstyle, pretty boy." Leona laughed. He froze.

By the third time, he already knew what to do, how to behave, and ended his job pretty quickly, but not before he was all red to his ears hearing her flirts. She was drunk, he reminded himself. He'd like to have some conversation with her when she was sober. He was concerned at her, something to do with his knightly ethics.

The next day he was relieved from his duty because Valeria took over the fencing training, so he found her drinking in the bar. Perhaps it was because it was still noon, or because she chose lighter liquor, but she seemed to keep herself well. She greeted,"Hey, pretty boy." It caught him off guard and he was all red again.

"Miss Anita," he replied. She gestured him to sit, ordering Leona to fill her glass. "Drop the formality. Call me Anita." He did. At first he was unsure what to say. He had been waiting for the opportunity to arise within two weeks, but Leona said she always forgot what happened so he didn't know how to ask her about her...circumstances.

He imagined Camus with his smooth talk and certain charm around women. Too bad he didn't possess that ability.

"You should stop drinking so much."

"Oh, you know?" she blinked.

So she did forget. "Did I do something again?" She searched his face. Camus always said he was terrible in lying, so a second after she sipped her liquor. "I take that as a yes. Sorry, I probably have caused you troubles."

"I don't mean to offend, but what weighs your mind? Perhaps I can help," he offered. It had something to do with Valeria, but he thought it was indecent to pry on other's business. For this problem though, some knowledge might come in handy.

"I don't know how much you've heard, but I and Valeria have always been rivals. Or maybe it's just my thought. We grew up together training under Roundier Haia. Even back then she'd do so well, and graduated as the best. I'm always the second. After that she travelled to Scarlet Moon, ascending to the ranks in short time, finally a general after the Liberation. I wandered around aimlessly, sullying my own name in my unconsciousness."

Her eyes were distant, her voice shaky. "I challenged her to duel several times, only to win once out of ten. I've always known what's wrong with me, why she's always so much better. I refuse to acknowledge the fact Roundier Haia told me many years ago. That her strength comes because she has people to protect, that she's not fighting for herself. She's never alone."

He heard and fell silent. Over the course of the weeks he had been protective of her, especially because Leona said she couldn't protect herself. She might be well versed in battlefield, but she need more help than anyone to guard herself. He was protective by nature, growing up as a knight. She needed someone.

"If you stop your drinking addiction, you might be able to defeat her," he said. She laughed dryly; for a second he feared she had lost her senses again. "I've tried, failed miserably."

"I'll help," he said, firmly. "You'll more likely to succeed if you have someone tracking your progress. I can help." Her disbelieving look suggested he might even swallow Nanami's foods. "Sweet of you for that offer, pretty boy, but I think you're not up to the job," she lowered the tone. His face was stern. "I'm up to the challenge."

It might be the knighthood in his vein, or his will to help anyone he could. Whichever it was, he wasn't going to let a young woman ruins her own life. How could he proclaim to be a knight if he couldn't protect what was in front of his eyes?

So he was certain in his decision. It might take a long time, but he wouldn't let her suffer alone for any longer.

Camus would laugh indeed.


End file.
